Evaporating apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OEELICE.D

THOMAS GAUNT, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

EAVAPORATING APPARATUS.

i SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,776, dated February 3, 1891.

Application led September l, 1890. Serial No. 363,662. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, THOMAS GAUNT, of Brooklyn, coun ty of Kings, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Evaporating Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention relates to an evaporating apparatus in which the evaporating-surface is composed of tubes or pipes.

lMy present invention has for its object to improve the construction of evaporating apparatus whereby the tubes or pipes-constituting the eVaporating-surfaceV are extended loosely through the heads or ends of the inclosing shelland into hollow castings orboxes secured to the said heads or ends, so that the said castings may be made in one piece and the castings and tubes may be readily re- 4 moved when desired, and the tubes may be lengthened or shortened as the metal comprising the tubes is expanded or contracted under varying conditions of temperature, the said apparatus being rendered steam and vacuum tight, as will be described.

My invention in an evaporating apparatus therefore consists in the combination, with an inclosin g case, of an evaporating-su rface composed of tubes or pipes extended loosely through the opposite ends of the inclosing case, one or more hollow couplings, preferably castings or boxes loosely fitted upon the extended ends of the said tubes, and means interposed between the said tubes and the ends of the inclosing case to render the apparatus steam and vacuum tight, substantially as will be described.

Figure l is a longitudinal section, partially broken out to save space in the drawing, of one form of evaporating apparatus embodying my invention; and Fig. 2, an end viewof` any suitable or usual manner.

The inclosing case contains within it the evaporating-surface, composed of, as herein shown, horizontal tubes or pipes a3, preferably arranged in vertical rows, there being three such rows herein represented in Fig. 2. As herein shown, each vertical row of tubes c3 has co-operating with ita liquid supply, preferably a tube or pipe d4, located above and in line with each vertical row of tubes. The tubes or pipes 01,3, comprising the evaporatingsurface, and preferably the tube or pipe a4, forming the liquid supply for the same, as herein shown, are loosely extended through the ends orheads d a2 of the inclosing case, and have fitted upon their extended ends hollow couplings, preferably made as boxes or castings b. The tubes or pipes are rendered steam and vacuum tight in the inclosing case and in the hollow couplings or castings or boxes Z7 by means of a suitable packing, preferably of rubber, herein shown as a sleeve b', fitted upon the extended ends of the tubes between the boxes and the ends or heads d CL2, the said packing being rendered steam and Vacuum tight by suitable bolts b2, which secure the boxes Z7 to the inclosing case, the said bolts being preferably extended th rough ysuitable ears or lugs d20, secured to or forming part of the said castings or boxes. The castings or boxes b are made of suitable size and are arranged so as to couple the evaporating-tubes together to obtain a continuous circulation from the uppermost of the evaporating-tubes to the lowerm ost of the said tubes.

As herein represented, the apparatus is constructed for a surface evaporation, in which the liquor or substance to be treated is discharged upon the outside of the evaporating-tube.

When the apparatus is constructed as described for a surface evaporation, the liquidfeed pipes a4 have their ends extended into a single castingor box at each side of the apparatus, the said box or casting, herein marked 2, being provided with dependent legs 193,(see Fig. 2,) forming wells, into which are extended the ends b4 of a branch pipe b5, connected to a supply-pipe bf). The supply-pipes h6 at the opposite ends of the apparatus are in practice preferably connected to a common supply-pipe. (Not herein shown.)

As shown in Fig. 1, the two uppermost IOO tubes of the evaporating surface on the left side of the apparatus are ext-ended into a casting or box marked 3, which is of suliicient size to have extended into it the two uppermost tubes ot the three vertical rows of tubes herein shown, the said box or casting having communicating with it pipes o7 hs, which communicate with a boiler or other source of heat. The opposite ends of the two uppermost tubes of each vertical row are extended into a casting l), marked l, which is made of suticient size, as herein shown, to have extended into it the next two lower tubes of the evaporating-surface, and the opposite ends of the two lower evaporating-tubes are extended into a box or casting marked 5, into which is extended one end ot' the lowest tube of the evaporating-surfaee, the opposite end of the said tube being extended into a single casting marked G, which, as shown, is provided with an outlet Z120.

The castings or boxes l) are preferably provided at substantially opposite ends of each tube or pipe with an opening bx, which is normally closed by a removable cover b, herein shown as secured to its casting by means ota bolt U0 and crow foot or bar 112. I prefer to provide each casting with an opening bx opposite each tube or pipe; but I do not desire to limit myself in this respect, as each casting may have any desired number ot' openings or have its front side as a single removable cover, or, ii desired, the castings or boxes may be made in one piece without any cover, for by reason of the evaporating tubes being loosely extended into the castings or boxes the latter may be readily removed without disturbing the said tubes.

I have herein shown my invention as embodied in an apparatus in which the evaporation takes place on the outside ot' the evaporating-surface; but I do not desire to limit myself in this respect, as it' is evident my invention isequally well adapted for use in connection with an apparatus in which the liquid or substance to be evaporated is caused to pass through the evaporating-tubes, and the heating agent is admitted directly into the inclosingcase or shell. In either form of apparatus the evaporating tubes or pipes are free to elongate and shorten as the metal of which they are composed expands er contracts under varying conditions of temperature, and if it is desired to remove, clean, or otherwise repair the evaporatingsurface one or more of the castings or boxes may be readily removed from the projecting ends ot' the tubes, or one or more of the removable covers may be taken ot'f, and, it desired, any one of 'the evaporating-tubes may be readily drawn out and a new one put in, or the said evaporating-tube may be drawn out and cleaned or otherwise repaired and then placed back again.

I have herein shown the tubes comprising the evaporating-surtace as arranged in vertical rows; but I do not desire to limit myself in this respect, as it is evident that the said tubes may be arranged in any desired manner within the inclosing case.

I have herein shown the inelosing case as tubular in form; but it is evident that the said case may be made oblong orot other desired shape.

By extending the evaporating-tubes loosely into the hollow couplings and securing them therein steam and vacuum tight the construetion of the apparatus may be simplified and cheapened, for the hollow couplings may be cast complete, with only a substantially rough opening at their rear sides, through which the tubes are extended, and which it is not necessary to machine in order to titthe tubes therein, as the packing material, preferably rubber or other usual material, will be compressed suhieiently to form a tight joint.

I claim- 1. In an evaporating apparatus, the combination, with an inelosing case, of an evaporating-surface composed ot' tubes or -pipes extended loosely through the opposite ends ot' the inclosing ease, one or more hollow couplings fitted loosely upon the extended ends of the said tubes, and means interposed between the said hollow couplings and the ends of the 9 inclosing case to render the apparatus steam and vacuum tight, substantially as described.

2. In an evaporating apparatus, the combination, with an inclosing case, oi au evaporating-surfaee composed of tubes or pipes extended loosely through the opposite sides or ends of the said case, a liquid-supplylocatedI above the said evaporating-tubcs within the i11closing'case, one or more castings or boxes loosely fitted upon the projecting ends of the said tubes, and means interposed between the said castings or boxes and the ends'of the IOO case to render the same steam and vacuum h tight, substantially as described.

3. In an evaporating apparatus, the combination, with aninclosing case, of an evaporating-surface composed of horizontal tubes or pipes arranged in vertical rows and extended loosely through the opposite sides or ends of the said case, a liquid-supply located above the said vertical rows of horizontal tubes or pipes, one or more castings or boxes loosely titted upon the projecting ends of the said tubes or pipes, and a packing upon the extended ends of the tubes or pipes between the said castings or boxes and the ends of the case to render the apparatus `steam and vacuum tight, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specitication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS GAUN'I.

Witnesses:

JAs. Il. CHURCHILL, A. S. WIEGAND. 

